Chapter 26

The Farm at Lane's End is the story of English country life.  Farmer Ken, his wife Jean, and their son Dave.   In this chapter, Jean has had a surprise.    For the characters in this story, please click here 

Vocabulary and Phrases

To carp - If you carp a lot, you never stop complaning.

To ring a bell, if something rings a bell with you, it vaguely reminds you of something.

Well I never is a phrase that expresses surprise.

For the life of me is another way of saying "Oh, my god"

Perish the thought means this is a terrible idea.

Plain jane - A plain jane is a boring unexciting girl.

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It's 7 o'clock in the morning.  Outside it is still very cold and dark.  A typical December morning. Farmer Ken and Dave have just come in from milking the cows. The delicious smell of sizzling bacon is coming from the kitchen.  Jean, too, has been busy.

Over breakfast Jean is telling Farmer Ken and Dave about the surprise meeting she had in the village.

I say, Dave and Ken, you'll never guess who I bumped into in the village yesterday.

Who did you bump into mum?  Come on, spill the beans.

Well, I had just come out of the baker's, and, there she was. Blocking my way. It was Anne Cooper.  You must remeber Anne Cooper, Ken.  We went to school together. 

No, I don't remeber Anne Cooper, Jean.

In those days, Anne Cooper was Anne Linney.  Later on she married Brian Cooper.

The name Brian Cooper rings a bell, mum. Wasn't he someone famous?

He was a famous jockey, Dave. A really nice guy. Lots of friends and many girlfriends. And, for the life of me, I never understood what Brian Coooper saw in Anne Linney.  Anne was a very nice girl, but never exciting. She was always a bit of a plain jane.

And, what did Anne tell you, Jean?

Well I never, Ken and Dave!  Anne spent the whole time carping on about just about everything. Everything was bad.  Her husband, her house, her children, her life, and everything else as well. 

So, what's Anne Cooper doing back in Tootenhoe, Jean?

She's here to look after her mother. And, it looks like she's going to be here for quite a long time.

Well, Jean, maybe you'll be seeing her more often from now on.

Perish the thought!  I couldn't think of anything worse.

I say, mum, are there anymore rashers, please?

Of course, and would you like another cup of tea?

Yes please, mum!

And, me too, please.

There's nothing like a nice cup of hot strong tea in the morning.

Questions

What had Dave and Ken been doing?

What was the weather like?

What was the nice smell coming from the kitchen?

What was Jean cooking?

Who did Jean bump into in the village?

Did Jean and Anne go to school together?

Were Anne and Jean best friends?

Why had Anne come back to Tootenhoe?

Is Jean looking forward to seeing Anne more often in the future?

What was Brian Coooper?

What's the best way to start each day?

+ + + + + +

Es ist 7 Uhr morgens.  Draußen ist es noch sehr kalt und dunkel.  Ein typischer Dezembermorgen. Farmer Ken und Dave kommen gerade vom Melken der Kühe nach Hause. Aus der Küche kommt der köstliche Geruch von brutzelndem Speck.  Auch Jean war fleißig.

Beim Frühstück erzählt Jean Farmer Ken und Dave von dem überraschenden Treffen, das sie im Dorf hatte.  

Ich sage: „Dave und Ken, ihr werdet nie erraten, wen ich gestern im Dorf getroffen habe.

Mit wem bist du geroffen, Mama?  Na los, erzähl schon.

Ich kam gerade aus der Bäckerei, und da war sie. Sie versperrte mir den Weg. Es war Anne Cooper.  Du erinnerst dich sicher an Anne Cooper, Ken.  Wir sind zusammen zur Schule gegangen. 

Nein, ich erinnere mich nicht an Anne Cooper, Jean.

Damals hieß Anne Cooper noch Anne Linney.  Später heiratete sie Brian Cooper.

Der Name Brian Cooper kommt mir bekannt vor, Mama. War das nicht ein berühmter Mann?

Er war ein berühmter Jockey, Dave. Ein wirklich netter Kerl. Viele Freunde und viele Freundinnen. Ich habe nie verstanden, was Brian Coooper an Anne Linney fand.  Anne war ein sehr nettes Mädchen, aber nie aufregend. Sie war immer ein bisschen wie eine gewöhnliche Frau.

Und was hat Anne dir erzählt, Jean?

Ken und Dave!  Anne hat die ganze Zeit über so ziemlich alles gemeckert. Alles war schlecht.  Ihr Mann, ihr Haus, ihre Kinder, ihr Leben und alles andere auch. 

Also, was macht Anne Cooper wieder in Tootenhoe, Jean?

Sie ist hier, um sich um ihre Mutter zu kümmern. Und es sieht so aus, als würde sie eine ganze Weile hier bleiben.

Nun, Jean, vielleicht wirst du sie von nun an öfter sehen.

Vergiss es!  Ich könnte mir nichts Schlimmeres vorstellen.

Mama, gibt es noch mehr Kartoffelpuffer, bitte?

Ja, natürlich. Und möchtest du noch eine Tasse Tee?

Ja, bitte, Mama!

Und ich auch, bitte.

Es geht doch nichts über eine schöne Tasse heißen, starken Tee am Morgen.